The present invention relates to an inertia-driven changing display. More particularly, although not exclusively, the invention relates to a display panel that can be mounted upon the dashboard of a motor vehicle and having a number of parallel display elements. The elements together produce a display image for viewing by a passenger. The display elements can rotate to produce different images upon acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle, or when the vehicle traverses over a crest or through a trough in the road and without reliance on external electrical input.
Display panels having a plurality of triangular cross-sectioned display elements are known. These are usually large advertising poster-sized devices in which the display elements are rotated by a motor and chain drive mechanism to change the overall display. That is, each of the three display faces of each element has a portion of an image that becomes contiguous with other image portions of the neighbouring display elements upon periodic rotation of each element through 120°. Sometimes, each display element is internally illuminated by shining light through transparency images upon each face.
The idea of the rotating display elements might be taken from the above advertising panels in a downscaled—say monitor-sized device for use in advertising to a small audience such as the passengers of a taxi for example. However, the power requirements and control circuitry and mechanical mechanism needed to affect periodic rotation of the display elements would render such a device cost-ineffective not only in terms of manufacture, but also installation.